How Innocence Gained Wisdom
by KC DarkFire
Summary: the tale of a goddess of innocence maturing into adulthood.


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I finally got around to posting this, I wrote ot my mythology class and have it up on my fictionpress account. I decided while my teacher read it out loud that it would be best to give how the names are said and their meanings.

Thanks for reading.

How Innocence Gained Wisdom

One night, when the great goddess resting in the sky was still young and unchanging, three gods were resting atop a hill side. The oldest of these three was named Lyonsae (Lee-on-say); she was the goddess of young mothers and protector of the birthing process. The middle god was named Kilagaro (Kill-a-gar-ro) protector of young soldiers and god of all justified murders (meaning that if there was good reason behind the act, he protected those who commit murders from other mortal harm for the act). The youngest of the three was named Calisto (Ca-lee-st-o), she aw s the proctor of small children, animals, and, lastly, the goddess of innocence.

The three gods were the children of the creator god of fire Xaos (Kay-os) Dragonus (meaning Chaos Dragon) and the siren goddess of peace and music Serenity. All of which were born within the volcano Inferno.

The three gods sat up from their self imposed stupor, each with their faces contorted. One face held a look of child-like mischief the others of disapproving temperament, "what ever," began the eldest, "you are planning Calisto do not proceed with it." The youngest gave the large doe-eyes that all children give when they are caught before their act.

"I was planning nothing bad," she stated with her youthful voice of soft tones, "My dears"- meaning the children of earth- "play so many pranks for my liking anyway brother and sister." Standing to stretch, she walked away from the small circle they formed, she began to speak anew. "Why is it that as the years go on my brother and sister have visibly grown to adulthood while I remain a child in all ways? I grow not in body nor in inelegance in seems; my emotional tantrums of youth have simmered to a near halt but that is the only sign of age."

Kilagaro, knowing what his ever young sister spoke of interrupted her, "dear Calisto, the child rose whose petals are forever black as soot, your growth is not to come in anyway. The Council of Fate has decreed such upon you," his midday eyes sparkled in the shining rays of the moon. "Your youth is something that all, mortals and immortals, wish to have; don't give it ill for that very reason."

"I don't like it!"

"Child of our parents," Lyonsae spoke after a long moment, "you do not have to like it; you just have to accept it."

Calisto, upon the response of the elder goddess, closed her mouth for a mere moment then with a great flurry of skin and silk, screamed, "I will not accept this….this…stupid gift! I want to grow, I want to become as beautiful as mother," she stopped for a moment and seemed to think as many children do when they are stubborn to wise words. "I will find a way to break this gift sister….by next winter I promise you I will be grown." She stormed away from the hill side in a splendid fire of colors.

For many mortal months the youthful goddess searched the world for a way to 'break' her gift. Finally she came to rest beside a small lake of clear blue water and within the water a face appeared to the goddess of innocence. "Oh young goddess who searches for age and infinite wisdom, why do you rest when what you seek is so close to you," it's voice spoke.

The goddess moved to the water's edge and peered into a face much like hoer own, "are you me?" she asked the image that moved not with her, but of its own will and power.

"I am and am not; I am timeless and nonexistent; I am darkness and light; everything and nothing at once." Calisto's face held a look of childish confusion as the reflection finished.

"How can you be me, but not be me?" Her confusion spoke volumes, yet the reflection spoke not a word more, "everything and nothing, that sounds so strange, but yet it seems as though that's what the elder gods are like. Grandmother Mae is like that…she's…you are an elemental!"

The reflection waved with the water, but did not ripple as most reflections do. "You've wished for wisdom and have searched many moons for it, yet once you stare it in the face, Innocence, you cannot spot it."

Glaring at the image, Calisto spoke up, her soft voice sending daggers to whoever spoke to confuse her. "If you are wisdom, then why are you no older than a young maiden?!" she screamed, "You are a sphinx…a riddle maker whom makes not a note of sense." The reflection looked as if the imaginary daggers had reached its face.

"I make only the riddles that hide in your heart. I am no sphinx whose riddles are impossible," the image disappeared from the water in the blink of a humming bird's eye

Calisto stayed at the lake, in the same exact spot for several nights. She neither slept nor ate, nor did she feel the burning sun or cool nights; mumbling the words spoken to her by the mysterious reflection.

On the last night of her stay she stood in a trance in the high water staring up at the traveling goddess of the night sky. "What does it mean my great sister, who spends the night watching the mortals sleep, you are the only light to night…as you always are…is she you as well as me?" The child goddess eyes widen as she sensed more than saw the reflection in the water again.

"Have you found your wisdom yet Innocence?" its voice spoke, the face smiling as water rose to create a perfect body for it.

"I don't believe so; there was a wise man that came by here during the hours of light that spoke to me though I didn't return his words…was he the wisdom?" Innocent doe eyes stared up at the watery image, "I don't suppose so. You said that you said that you 'make the riddles hidden in my heart.' Do you mean that I need to look within myself?" The reflection smiled a pleasantly mysterious grin, and then turned its liquid body to look up at the moon.

"You're so close Innocence," turning and knelling in front of Calisto she placed both cool water hands on her face. "Rest for a time, then you will see it; feel it; you will find your wisdom." With those simple words the young goddess fell into the image, the last thing she felt was soft hands placing her body atop the water.

The young goddess knew nothing of what passed outside of her mind, she did not feel the rising sun or the onset of night. Nothing could raise her from the deep inner search. Inside her mind, Calisto felt a millennium of all sorts of pain, something that neither I nor you should ever wish upon another. Outside, her body floated with no movement, as if she laid calmly in death atop a coffin of pristine deep blue.

A great many days later, the goddess of all children awoke; realization dawned slowly on her as she had floated clear across the lake. "What wonders sleep can bring," a seemingly dangerous smile crossed her innocent pink lips. Calmly she peered around at the landscape, "How strange" her only spoken thought. By this time the goddess was standing and stepping to the shore. Everything seemed smaller around her, and she felt as though she had gained a new sight of the realm around her.

Calisto gasped as she caught sight of the reflection in the water, "oh my gods," she cried out. "Why are you...Elemental!" exclaimed the goddess, she touched her mouth and was surprised that the reflection did the same. Her eyes widened as reality hit her, the image in the water was her own; the once round childish face slimed, the body that was once straight gained curves, everything about her seemed to have changed, she felt so sure of that fact. "I understand," she spoke to the wind and, laughing violently, she continued, "you are everyone's soul, not an elemental; a timeless yet nonexistent…an immortal soul of all likeness to the past and all the hope of the future! A beautiful, yet dangerous thing when tempted by the Council." As she spoke, many of the creatures of the woods appeared at the tree line to who disturbed their little piece of paradise.

One brave nymph stepped forward, "where is the little goddess of pure innocence who spent many a day atop the lake Enchantress?" Her small voice trembled when Calisto's blue eyes settled upon her, "wha…what did…where did she go?"

Laughing again, Calisto stated, "what is to-day; the year has turned old again, and it seems that Innocence finally followed." Her eyes danced about the faces until they rested upon the nymph again, "have I changed that much my darling Dromada (Drom-a-da)." The nymph's eyes widened in shock as she stumbled back, "that is your name isn't it? I believe you watched me when I first arrived, from that willow there."

"You cannot be the young girl, you are not of few summers; you look as though you've lived at least twenty summers," exclaimed a faun who had moved to help the nymph Dromada. The goddess giggled and asked the day again as an abnormally large crow landed on shore beside her.

"My dear, sweet Dracul," the dark bird of death flew to her pale out stretched arm, "I see that you do." The gasps of the woodland dwellers forced her attention back to them to see the lot of them knelling, their eyes cast to the ground.

"My daughter," a strong and commanding voice spoke from behind her, "you've grown as none thought you would."

Turning her body to it, she bent her head in acknowledgment. "My dearest father, who rules all of this world and the next, I sought wisdom and my change comes from finding it. Pain, hindsight, and much more aged me to my greatness now. I am still your innocent daughter of fire, dear father; by my innocence is a stronger one, thanks to my newly found gifts."

_With those words the world found itself with a new form of innocence, one that all maturing children have. The innocent wisdom of the past and the hope for the great future ahead of them; the world gained intelligent innocence. _

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I'm thinking about writing a group of stories based off of this one, but only if this one is well recieved. Review, please.


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